Better Angels
by SammieCSIMiami
Summary: Sometimes we all need to open up. Will Horatio lern his lesson before he loses his Daughter and wife. HC! Rating due to futher chapters. FINNISHED ...does it kill to review?
1. Chapter 1

Title. Better Angels.  
Author: Samantha.  
With great thanks to: Sammie (not me you twat the other one) Ruth, Cath and the other Ruth (oh my god two Samanthas and two Ruths...jesus)  
Part: One of about fifteen.  
Pairing: H/C baby!  
Spoilers: 3.01 - Lost Son  
Disclaimer: Unfortunately I do not own CSI:Miami the people who own them do. Trust me when I say this (along with ruth aka quarryquest) we would treat them so much more better than you arsewipes. (DONT SUE!)  
Summary: Sometimes we all need to open up...but will Horatio learn his lesson before he loses his daughter and wife

**Why Don't You All Just Fade Away **_has logged in._

**Hayden _says:_**

_Yo! What's up?_

**Why Don't You All Just Fade Away _says:_**

_There doing it again._

**Hayden_ says:_**

_Doing what again?_

**Why Don't You All Just Fade Away _says:_**

_Arguing again! _

**Hayden_ says:_**

_What about?_

**Why Don't You All Just Fade Away _says:_**

_The usual….blah blah work blah blah we never talk anymore blah blah you don't spend enough time with Millie blah blah no wonder she's in trouble at school blah blah Millie needs a dad.. You know the usual. _

**Hayden_ says: _**

_Oh honey they'll sort things out._

**Why Don't You All Just Fade Away _says:_**

_I hope so. Oh fuck got to go Dads on the war path._

**Hayden_ says:_**

_What about this time?_

**Why Don't You All Just Fade Away _says:_**

_My music's up to loud. I'll be back soon xoxox._

**Why Don't You All Just Fade Away **_status is be right back at 8.48pm_

**Why Don't You All Just Fade Away **_status is available at 9.01pm_

**Why Don't You All Just Fade Away _says:_**

_Oh my god. I can't believe him!_

**_You have been invited to view _Hayden_'s web cam._**

**_You have invited _Hayden _to view your web came. _**

**Hayden **_says:_

_What's he done?_

**Why Don't You All Just Fade Away **_says:_

_Meh…he started harping on about how my report card better be good tomorrow or he's not going to happy_.

**Hayden **_says: _

_Were all fucked. Mrs McJaffre is on crack I'm telling you that is she gives me anything less than a B I am going to give her the fucking true meaning of a _C, a clobbering!

**Why Don't You All Just Fade Away **_says:_

_Yeah tell me about it she gave me a D last semester! She's going to fail me this time though. _

**Hayden **_says:_

_No wonder with the amount you have been skipping class! You look sad what's up? _

**Why Don't You All Just Fade Away **_says:_

_..well…I can't believe my dad went back to work! I mean he's been shot once. What if it happens again?_

**Hayden **_says:_

_Your dads not that stupid Mille. He will be okay sweetie_.

**Why Don't You All Just Fade Away **_says:_

_He nearly died! Can't he see what he is doing?_

**Hayden **_says: _

_You have to talk to him Millie. He can't read minds. No matter how much you think he can._

**Why Don't You All Just Fade Away **_says:_

_Ha! You think I should talk to him?_

**Hayden **_says: _

_Yeah talk to him. He won't know how you feel other wise. Right I have to go I have that fucking Geography paper to do._

**Why Don't You All Fade Away **_says: _

_Oh bugger me too talk to you tomorrow, love you xxxx_

**Hayden **_says:_

_Love you too bbff xxxx_

**Hayden _is now offline._**

**Why Don't You All Just Fade Away _has logged off._**

"I am going to get killed." Came the flat voice of a teenage girl as she slammed her locker shut, people bustled along the corridors. The rabid slamming of lockers could be heard everywhere around the school. The home bell had rung and they were all free for the weekend…well…almost all free.

"What did you get?"

"Straight Fs….no wait…I got a D in P.E!" the girl jumped up and punched the air.

"You dad is going to freak."

"Yes dear Heather…that's why he isn't going to see it." She said waving the card as they walked outside in to the Miami sun.

"Millie…" Heather said warningly.

"What?" She snapped brushing her hair behind her ears and swinging her backpack on to her shoulder. It hung low down her back, covered in obscenities such as 'take me drunk, I am home' and 'fuck off you Red Neck tosser!' which many of the teachers went to happy about.

"If you want to make your birthday next month I suggest you don't and I don't think you have time." she continued as they both spotted the car.

"Fuck fuck fuck has he seen me yet?" Millie hissed turning her back on the road and pulling her back hood over her head and pulling the collar of her blazer up in an feeble attempt to disguise herself.

"Yup."

"Oh bugger." she turned and froze as she met her fathers eye. She smiled and waved. "Act normal for Christ sake. I'll talk to you tonight on MSN." She continued stuffing the report card in to her inside blazer pocket.

"Yeah if you live that long. C'ya." Millie waved goodbye to her friend as they both laughed.

She made her way towards the car and climbed in without saying a word.

"How was school?" He asked her

"Just fine." She replied flatly. The report card still safely crumpled inside her pocket.

"You got your report card?"

"I left it in my locker." She snapped to quickly for her father likening. Her hand still on the crumpled mess that was previously her report card.

"Millie…" He warned. "Go get it."

"Ehh…I think I left it in homeroom actually."

"Don't even think about hiding it from me."

"Fine!" She pulled the crumpled sheet out her pocket and threw it at him and sat back folding her arms in a huff. She watched her father read it and waited for the enviable grounding that was about to follow.

"We will be talking about this when we get home." He told her as he started the car and drove away. Millie sank lower in to her seat and watched the street speed past her. The journey home was silent as Millie counted the punishments she could face. The silence finally got to her as she pulled out her iPod.

"Millie."

"Fine then I wont put it on!" she yelled throwing the iPod forcefully in to her bag.

"Don't yell at me." He replied simply as he pulled the car into the driveway.

"You have a go at me for everything! For my music, the people I hang around with! You never give me a chance." Millie began getting out the car and slamming the door shut violently and storming in to the house. She threw her bag into the floor and stormed up the stair case.

"Millie come here."

"What?" she yelled.

"Come here!" Millie stormed back down the stairs.

"Fs? How on earth did you get these grades your smarter than this?" His calm voice hiding the disappointment he felt. Millie however could read him like a book.

"Well they weren't all Fs….I got a D in P.E. Doesn't that account for something?" Millie asked seriously. There was silence. "See….D." She said pointing to the grade on the crumpled mess that is her report card. Reading her father reaction she fell silent once more.

"How did this happen?"

"I tried my best." she lied.

"I got a phone call from the school today."

"I didn't do it! No one saw me do it! They can't prove a thing!" Millie said extremely quickly. "My Chemistry teacher has it in for me she hates me."

"It wasn't your chemistry teacher." her father told her.

"If it was my maths teacher I only told her to shut up because wouldn't hear my side of the story."

"No it wasn't you maths teacher." Millie fell silent puzzled. "Someone tells me you've been skipping school."

"I swear to god I only did it once!"

"That Millie. Is also a lie." she scowled and folded her arms. The atmosphere in the room was tense and all hell was about to break lose. "What sort of trouble are you in?"

"I am not in trouble."

"Then why the hell have you been skipping school then! I thought you'd been brought up better than this Millicent Caine!"

That was when she knew he was angry, He never used her full name unless he was seriously ticked off.

"Um…."

"What do you do while your skipping school?" He asked her in a stern voice. Millie refused to make eye contact with her father as she looked at the ground. She refused to answer. "Millie." again no answer. "Right turn out your pockets."

"What? You can't make me."

"You want a bet?" He told her looking over his sunglasses at her. She did as she was told and slammed a packet of cigarettes and a bag of a certain illegal substance. "What the hell is this?" He asked her picking the bag up and looking at it.

"Well you're the CSI aren't you, why don't you tell me." Millie told him sarcastically as she placed her hands on her hips.

"Drugs. Why on earth have you got this crap?"

"Your pretty good at putting two and two together."

"Millie don't you dare talk back to me like this. This is serious. I expect better of you."

"You expect better of everyone don't you." Silence held the room again in its icy grip. Millie looked at the floor again.

"What does that mean?"

"It means you push your self so hard you expect me to. I'm not you dad! I fucking hate science but you made me take all bloody three. You know I'm no good at it! I don't understand it but you don't listen to me! I'm old enough to think for myself I am fifteen not five!"

"Exactly your fifteen and your smoking this? This had nothing to do with school! What I am saying Millie is you need to sort your self out now! That's it your are grounded, with no computer, no iPod and no cell phone and you are not going to the gig tomorrow!."

Horatio watched Millie heart fall and shatter.

"I've been waiting for this gig for a year!"

"I don't care. You shouldn't be using this crap. This is the end of it. It stops here now do you understand me?"

"Loud and fucking clear!"

"Do not swear at me Mille."

"Why can't you be normal!" Millie screamed as she stormed up the stairs in to her bedroom, slamming the door behind her as the house shook from the force.

Horatio sighed and picked up the report card and reading it again. When did everything go wrong?


	2. Chapter 2

-1Title. Better Angels.  
Author: Samantha.  
With great thanks to: Sammie (not me you twat the other one) Ruth, Cath and the other Ruth (oh my god two Samantha's and two Ruth's...Jesus)  
Part: two of about fifteen.  
Pairing: H/C baby!  
Spoilers: 3.01 - Lost Son  
Disclaimer: Unfortunately I do not own CSI:Miami the people who own them do. Trust me when I say this (along with Ruth a.k.a quarryquest) we would treat them so much more better than you arsewipes. (DONT SUE!)  
Summary: Sometimes we all need to open up...but will Horatio learn his lesson before he loses his daughter and wife

Chapter Two:

Since when did Millie behave like this? And more to the point why hadn't he found out sooner. He sighed sitting down and looking at the blank T.V. He blamed himself and he knew why. He remembered the tears in her eyes at the hospital as he was released. How she begged him to take it slow and not to go back to work. Then it hit him. Had he gone back to work too soon?

"Hey honey." Called the angelic voice of his wife.

"Hey." he replied sadly.

"What's wrong?"

"Calleigh…You should have a look at this." Horatio said handing her Millie's report card.

"How on earth did this happen?" She asked turning to see her daughter at the door.

"I think you owe your mother an explanation."

"What?" Millie asked raising an eyebrow and looking from her mother to her father back to her mother. She placed her hands back in her pocket. She could feel her heart in her chest as she walked into the room.

"You know perfectly well what I'm talking about Millie."

Millie held her breath for a few minutes. Her mothers eyes found hers.

"Spit it out Millie."

"Well, I've been skipping school." Millie told her. Hiding her hands in her pockets,

"Why?" Her mother asked her quietly. Placing her hand on Millie's shoulder. Millie shrugged.

"I don't know. I just can't be bothered with school."

"C'mon sit down." Millie did as she was told. She could tell her mother was upset. "Millie honey. I want you to know that I am very upset with you." Calleigh told her truthfully. Millie however seemed more interested in the carpet. "Look at me Millie. I really can't believe you would do this. I want you to make something of your life. Even if its not science like us."

Millie could feel her heart breaking. She looked back at the carpet.

"Millie. The full story." Horatio stated. Calleigh looked back at her daughter.

"All right! I've been smoking pot. Happy now?" she spat at her father. Her mothers face fell. Silence griped the room for the umpteenth time that day. "Don't worry dads already grounded me taken my computer, iPod and my gig ticket so its all nicely wrapped up in a neat little fucking package!" the sarcasm lingered in the air for what seamed like an eternity.

"How many times have I told you not to touch the stuff. You know what it does. Technically I should be arresting you for possession." Horatio began.

"Go ahead I don't give a shit." the venom dripped from her voice.

"Millie don't you dare talk to me like that." Horatio said scolding his daughter.

"C'mon Millie. Were going out. Go upstairs and get changed out your uniform and well go get ice cream."

Millie simply blinked. She did as she was told. Thanking god it would get her away from her father. She bolted up the stairs. Only to know her parents would be arguing about it.

"I can't believe your just dismissing it like this." Horatio said turning to face his wife.

"Well if I don't diffuse this situation now you and Millie are going to end up arguing and its not going to help the situation at all. Yes I agree she has to be punished. But let me talk to her. Mother to daughter."

"Okay."

"Thank you Horatio."

"Where did we go wrong?" Horatio asked Calleigh as they hugged.

"God I don't know." Calleigh said as she sighed. "All I know is that something is wrong." That they both agreed on.

"Okay but the punishment stands. She is not going to that gig."

"Okay. Agreed."

Millie appeared at the bottom of the staircase. Instead of her usual attire of offensive t-shirts with inane saying. She stood there dressed in a pair of jeans and a plain black t-shirt. Her blonde hair pulled into a lose ponytail, and her head hung cautiously towards the floor.

"Right you ready." Calleigh asked her. She nodded without saying a word. "Right give me two minutes to get changed. "

Millie felt the tension in the room as she was left alone with her father.

"So you and mom managed to go five minutes without arguing." Millie told him flatly.

"Millie your mother and I can still love each other you know."

"I never said you didn't I'm just saying it's a new record." She said her voice cold as she opened the fridge and rummaged around inside. Her father never said anything, but sat down looking defeated. Calleigh emerged ready and they left, with Millie munching on an apple. They got ice cream and settled down in the park.

"You know honey, you can always talk to me. Tell me why you skipped school." There was nothing said while Millie formulated the words in her mind.

"Dad expects so much of me. He expects all these great grades. He wants me to do science. I don't want to. I can't stand it. The teacher stands and talk about all this stuff that I don't understand. What's the point in it I'm going to fail anyway. I'll disappoint him anyway."

"Oh honey. You know we will always be proud of you. Science isn't for everyone. Some people find it easer than others."

"Yeah…but dad…he expects so much of me and I can't deliver it. So in the end he's going to be angry at me either way."

"You know he wouldn't be angry if you had just told him."

"How am I meant to. He doesn't listen to me. He never will." Millie said sadly as she finished her ice cream. "Point is he is angry now."

"He's angry at you because you didn't tell him. He only wants what is best for you. However he is disappointed in you."

"He's always angry at me though. I can never do anything right."

"He is just worried about you and so am I. I just don't want you throwing your life away." Calleigh told her gently. However she was only met by bitterness.

"Yeah well I don't want my father being shot at seven days a week but we don't all get what we want." Millie snapped her voice hash.

"Sweetie is this what this is all about?" Calleigh asked

"He's been shot once already. He almost died. Yet he goes back everyday…and one day he will walk out the door and he wont come back. It's happened once…it will happen again." Millie told her mother as she began to cry.

"I know Millie honey. Your not the only one afraid of losing him." Her mother said holding her close. "Its not going to happen."

"I can't do it mom. If he doesn't watch out he'll end up dead."

"I know. Your dad is committed to his job Millie. You know that."

"Seems like he cares more about his job than he does about his family!" Millie cried outraged.

"That is no true Millie and you know it."

"but…it…is. He doesn't care about me and he doesn't care about this family!" Tears fell as Calleigh held her close.

"C'mon maybe its time to go home yeah."

"Yeah."

The night was silent in the Caine household. Millie had managed to fall asleep early for once and a very lost Horatio stood at the door of the dark room watching his daughter sleep. He couldn't understand where he had gone wrong. Where the fault in his parenting lied, he never noticed his wife sneak up behind him.

"What you doing?" she whispered.

"Just thinking." he said as she slipped his arm around her waist. "Where have I gone wrong Cal?"

"Maybe she's frightened of losing you. Or she feels as if she already has," Calleigh said to him gently as they both watched Millie hug her bed covers closer to her, a smile growing on her face as she obviously dreamed of something.

"Do you really think that?" He asked his wife.

"I already know it Horatio. She wants a father that she knows is going to come home from work." There was no words exchanged but he just watched his heart heavy with guilt. "C'mon to bed sweetie." Calleigh asked him. Kissing him on the cheek. He simply nodded and followed. Knowing tomorrow was going to be a long day.

With the absence of the morning alarm clock the house felt a false sense of calm and around lunchtime a very sleepy Millie managed to drag herself out of bed. Thanking god it was half term.

"Morning partner, pancakes?" Millie stopped.

"Okay stop. You haven't made me pancakes in like years!"

"Well I thought we could spend sometime together."

"Okay dad who's died?"

"No one." A very confused Horatio answered.

"Oh my god moms pregnant isn't she!"

"Um…no."

"Then why in gods name area you making pancakes?"

"Do I need an excuses to spend time with my daughter?" Horatio asked Millie raising an eyebrow.

"OH my god mom is pregnant isn't she!"

"No she's not. Look I just want to spend sometime with you. I was thinking we could go to the beach or something," Horatio told his daughter gently.

"Dad I liked the beach when I was like five plus I was wanting to go out shopping with Lisa and Heather." Millie told her father flatly.

"Your still grounded."

"Then I shall go wallow in self pity in my room." and with that Millie stormed off back up the stairs. She smiled at the laptop tucked away in her room. He never got round to confiscating it. She plugged the broadband cable she booted up and signed on.

**Will You All Just Fade Away **_has logged on._

**Hayden **_says:_

_You still alive?_

**Will You All Just Fade Away **_says:_

_Yeah but we still have a problem._

**Will You All Just Fade Away **_had added _**I Want Guys On Bread.**

**I Want Guys On Bread **_says_:

_WHAT PROBLEM?_

**Will You All Just Fade Away **_says_:

_My Dad says I cant go to the gig._

**Hayden** _says_:

_WTF No way!_

**I Want Guys On Bread **_says_:

_He can't do that!_

**Will You All Just Fade Away **_says_:

_Pfft. Like I am not going to this gig! Seriously you think I would miss Green Day! Its there last tour! it's the last chance I ever have of seeing them! I am no way missing this fuck my dad!_

**I Want Guys On Bread **_says_:

_I smell a Millie Plan!_

**Will You All Just Fade Away **_says_:

_Yes you do._

**Hayden **_says:_

_Lets hear it!_

**Will You All Just Fade Away **_says_:

_Right. If anyone asks. I'm at Heathers. Heather is at Lisa's and Lisa is at mine._

**Hayden **_says_:

_So I'm at Millie's house._

**I Want Guys On Bread **_says_:

_I haven't quite caught this squirrel yet._

**Hayden **_says_:

_WTF?_

**I Want Guys On Bread **_says_:

_My mind works on metaphorical squirrels. _

**Why Don't You All Just Fade Away **_says_:

_Lisa shut up and listen. I'm at Lisa house. Heather is at Lisa's and Heather is at my house._

**I Want Guys On Bread **_says_:

_Caught it!_

**Why Don't You All Just Fade Away **_says_:

_Right okay. I'll sneak out…Lisa have the hair dye ready at yours at five and I'll bring my stuff._

**Hayden **_says_:

_You know your Dad will kill you if he catches you!_

**I Want Guys On Bread **_says_:

_In our defence Heather it is not our plan. He can't blame us._

**Hayden **_says_:

_True true._

**Why Don't You All Just Fade Away **_says_:

_Ok that's that sorted. Lisa you better get some more Pot….my dad has mine._

**I Want Guys On Bread **_says_:

_K done…but bear in mind plants can only grow so fast!_

**Hayden **_says_:

_Right okay._

**Why Don't You All Just Fade Away** _says_:

_Right, have to go! See you later xoxox._

**Why Don't You All Just Fade Away **_had logged off._

**Hayden **_has left the conversation._

**I Want Guys On Bread **_has left the conversation._

Millie smiled and looking at the computer. She was going to that gig tonight and no one was going to stop her!


	3. Chapter 3

-1Title. Better Angels.  
Author: Samantha.  
With great thanks to: Sammie (not me you twat the other one) Ruth, Cath and the other Ruth (oh my god two Samanthas and two Ruths...jesus)  
Part: Three of about fifteen.  
Pairing: H/C baby!  
Spoilers: 3.01 - Lost Son  
Disclaimer: Unfortunately I do not own CSI:Miami the people who own them do. Trust me when I say this (along with ruth aka quarryquest) we would treat them so much more better than you arsewipes. (DONT SUE!)  
Summary: Sometimes we all need to open up...but will Horatio learn his lesson before he loses his daughter and wife

Chapter Three.

Millie smiled as the rock music shook the house, she left the five Cds on rotation knowing by the time they stopped her parents would think she was asleep. Her father had gotten used to it knowing it was a sure sign Millie was still alive and safe in the house. Yeah, like she was. Her father maybe a CSI but he was naïve when it came to teenage rebellion. She dropped her bag silently out the window and climbed out. She looked at the ground and held on to the drain pipe. Slowly lowered herself down, she dropped herself down and landed back first in her mothers rose bed. She hissed as a thorn caught the side of her face. She lay silent for a few seconds to make sure neither her mother or father had heard her and she grabbed her bag and ran.

She arrived at her friends house and knocked gently on the door.

"Dude its okay my parents are at work." Lisa said with a smile on her face. Her blonde hair catching the dieing Miami sun. She waved the bottle of hair dye. "We have three hours lets get this show on the road."

Millie smiled and walked though to Lisa's bathroom as Lisa began to slap the black hair dye on to Millie's blonde hair and three quarters of an hour later Millie was looking at her bolt straight black hair. The second knock on the door announced the arrival of Heather.

"Wow…that looks amazing!" Heather said gawping at Millie's newly dyed hair.

"Great work even if I do say so myself. Now make up time!" screeched Lisa bouncing up and down, and in a record two hours and fifty three minutes the girls were doing there last checks.

"Okay. Tickets?" Called Heather.

"Check." replied Lisa and Millie in unison.

"Hair done?"

"Check."

"Make-up done?"

"Check."

"Clothing." all three girls looked themselves over and then each other.

"Perfect." They all chimed.

"Chucks done perfectly."

"Absolutely."

"Sweatbands that look cool."

"Yup."

"Pot?" Lisa said lastly as she checked her pockets. "Yup I have that we're ready to go."

With that the three girls left. Millie felt her heart beat faster she felt the ticket in her jeans pocket. Her black hair blended with the night sky. The hooded top which read 'I shagged the drummer', her black jeans, black chucks. To say these girls wouldn't look out of place at a funeral wouldn't be wrong. They joined the thousands of other teenagers and adults trying to cram themselves in to the stadium. When the lights went down, the chaos began. Only Millie didn't know what was going on at home.

"Millie!" called Horatio up the stairs. He waited for the non existent Millie to reply. "Millie" he called again knocking on her door. Still no reply. He opened the door slowly. No Millie. He turned off the Cd player and paused. There was no Millie, he watched the curtains flutter from the wind though the wide open, he walked over captiously as he called Millie's name again. He looked out the window only to see Calleigh's rose bed flattened and no sign of his daughter. He turned around and hit the wall angrily, spotting the empty space where Millie's gig ticket had been proudly placed on the wall, and the countdown on her calendar. He looked at the poster covered wall and sighed. Only one thought ran though his mind. What was his daughter thinking of?

Millie bobbed her head to the music as she felt herself thrown around the mosh pit. She received her drink from Lisa. Who had managed to 'borrow' her sisters driving licence, thank god they don't really look at the pictures. The support bands finished, forty dollars of alcohol and several joints later and the three girls were out of there heads however they were happy. Millie felt that sensation grow over her, the buzz from the alcohol conflicting with the cannabis rushing though her system.

"I though I asked you to call Millie down for dinner." Calleigh said as she laid three plates down on the table.

"Yeah, she's not in her room. She's gone to that damn gig." Horatio stated as he snatched his car keys off the counter.

"Horatio don't. Wait for her to come back. You wont get her at the gig. Let her be."

"So I'm just meant to sit and wait for her to come back when I don't know where the hell she is and what she's doing."

"Yes. She'll come back. It isn't the first it she's snuck off and you know that." Calleigh told Horatio gently as she hugged him. Horatio stood there defeated, he knew she was right.

"Yeah….what the hell is she thinking?"

"She's thinking of ways to get your attention."

between Lisa and Heather and with there arms wrapped round each others shoulders they screamed the lyrics Millie felt the whole room move as she bounced, no longer seeing the room around her as all she heard was the music. The music pounded around her ash he felt the vibrations from the bass hit her chest as she stood with all their hearts. The time of there life's was happening right there and then and suddenly it was over.

With excitement in there hearts and the adrenalin high that rivalled every other kid there. They walked the short distance to the bus stop and waited for there bus home. The stop emptied quickly as some were picked up by their parents, or there bus came. Soon enough the three were left on their own. Heather sat on the sidewalk half passed out from the alcohol. Lisa was leaning against the wall too high to notice anything and Millie was trying to prevent herself from throwing up.

"You don't think we've missed the last bus do you?" Heather asked as she shivered.

"Naw man we were hear ten minutes before it was due." Millie said checking her watch. Knowing by now she was either safe and her mom and dad were tucked up safely in bed. Or she had been discovered and a very angry Horatio would be sitting up waiting to kill her. Millie was jolted out her thoughts as Heather elbowed her sharply.

"Dude….look at the hot emo over there." Millie felt her mouth drop open as Heather shut it for her. "Millie you were drooling."

"Excuse me." The guy said as all three froze.

"Y…yeah." Heather managed to stumble out. Millie watched his hand travel towards his pocket.

"Do as I fucking say and I wont blow your brains out." He snapped. Millie recognised instantly what he was holding in his hands. "Now which one of you is Millie." Instantly the three girls pointed at each other.

"Her." they snapped as Heather pointed to Lisa, Lisa pointed to Millie and Millie at Heather. The man frowned and singled to someone.

Suddenly Millie felt someone grab her arm, she screamed as she was tackled to the floor. All she could hear was the protests of her friends as she felt her back hit the metal floor of a van.

"Shit" she hissed. "I am so grounded."

Time slipped away from her as the full force of the nights alcohol finally hit her. She felt that sick feeling in her stomach as Lisa swore angry as she banged her head off the floor. Suddenly the thought hit her. Her Dad didn't know she was missing.


	4. Chapter 4

-1

Chapter Four:

The night had passed slowly as the clock in the Caine house chimed four am. Horatio watched the second hand tick by, the dreadful feeling of panic grow, sure Millie had snuck out to go to parties but she had never been gone this late. Seconds turned into minutes, minutes in to hours.

"She's still not home." Horatio told Calleigh as she resurfaced from sleep. "Where's her friends numbers."

"You are not calling her friends house at this time of day!" Calleigh said looking at the clock. "Its seven am on a Sunday! Everyone will be asleep." she told him.

"Yes and our daughter has been missing all night." Calleigh sighed. She didn't reply. They sat there in silence until the shrill ringing of the telephone. Horatio picked it up on the first ring. Calleigh watched him intently.

"Yeah this is Heather's mom"

"Yeah."

"I was wondering is she there with you Horatio because she didn't come home last night." Heathers mom told Horatio, he could hear the panic in her voice.

"No. We though Millie was with you. She didn't come home last night either."

"But Heather told me Millie wasn't going to the gig."

"She wasn't meant to." Horatio told Heathers mom with a serious tone. "Look I'll call round and try and find them and I will call you back okay."

"Yeah. Thanks Horatio."

"No worries." Horatio hung up and looked at Calleigh. "Heather didn't go home last night either." He told Calleigh who was now beginning to panic. After searching though numbers they finally spotted the one they wanted. Horatio punched it in to the phone. His heart rate increasing with every unanswered ring.

"Hello."

"Lisa?" he asked unsure. Not being able to tell the difference between Lisa's voice and her six sisters.

"NO!" The voice cried offended. "It's Emily!"

"Sorry Emily look is Lisa there?"

"Two sec's and I'll check." Horatio held his breath as he heard the commotion in the back ground. "Lisa! Mom left you money!" She screeched. There was no reply. "Nope she's definitely not in."

"Thanks." He hung up and looked at Calleigh who knew right away the answer.

"There not at Lisa's are they?" she asked. He simply shook his head. "Where the hell is she Horatio?" She cried as tears broke free.

"I don't know Calleigh but we'll find her." and with that they were both up and ready to go down to the lab.

Walking past Millie's room he paused. Looking at the laptop which occupied the top shelf next to her CD player. He opened it up, hitting the power on button and opening Millie's message history. He opened that weeks folder. Clicking on the first one.

"Message history with Hayden. April 6th at 8.55pm.

_**Why Don't You All Just Fade Away says:**_

_There doing it again._

_**Hayden says:**_

_Doing what again._

_**Why Don't You All Just Fade Away says:**_

_Arguing again! _

_**Hayden says:**_

_What about?_

_**Why Don't You All Just Fade Away says:**_

_The usual….blah blah work blah blah we never talk anymore blah blah you don't spend enough time with Millie blah blah no wonder she's in trouble at school. You know the usual."_

He froze looking at the conversation for a couple of seconds before the words registered in his brain. Millie heard them every night arguing, he lifted the laptop of the shelf and sat down in the bed and continued to read. What the hell had he done? Had he driven Millie to this, this was all his fault he told himself.

"_**Why Don't You All Just Fade Away says:**_

_..well…I can't believe my dad went back to work! I mean he's been shot once. What if it happens again?_

_**Hayden says:**_

_Your dads not that stupid Millie. He will be okay sweetie. _

_**Why Don't You All Just Fade Away says:**_

_He nearly died! Can't he see what he is doing?"_

He knew then this was his fault. He kept his eyes on the screen. The words confirming his worst fears. The thought suddenly hit him. He can't throw himself in to danger anymore. He has a family to look after now and a child who needs him, he can't put himself in the line of fire anymore.

"_**Will You All Just Fade Away **says:_

_Pfft. Like I am not going to this gig! Seriously you think I would miss Green Day! Its their last tour! it's the last chance I ever have of seeing them! I am no way missing this, fuck my dad!_

_**I Want Guys On Bread **says:_

_I smell a Millie Plan!"_

He laughed wirily at the fact Millie was renound for her plans however he knew that she had gone to the gig after he told her not to. The anger however quickly subsided as he realised something serious must have happened last night. No matter how angry or upset Millie was she had more sense than to get herself in to a dangerous situation. He continued on.

"_**Why Don't You All Just Fade Away **says:_

_Ok that's that sorted. Lisa you better get some more Pot….my dad has mine._

_**I Want Guys On Bread **says:_

_K done…but bear in mind plants can only grow so fast!"_

With that he snapped the laptop shut and sighed. He realised this left him no where nearer find out where the three kids where.

"Damn Millie" he hissed under his breath as he looked at the four poster covered walls, her shrine to the world of rock music. He began to think and was left with only two options. Either the girls had ran off or they'd been taken. He knew straight away the second was the most probable and has he realised it that sick feeling came back to him. He knew she was in trouble and she needed him.

He began to retrace the girls steps. Telling Calleigh to stay home and call him the second any sigh of Millie appeared and to keep calling her cell phone. He pulled into the arena car park.

"So what are looking for?" Asked Eric.

"Anything." Horatio snapped getting out the car. He stood at the entrance of the arena. Last nights mess still there. The abandoned, unloved arena was dirty and smelt of booze and cigarette smoke. The floor was littered with paper cups and burger wrappers, cigarette buts, broken glass bottles which had the labels ripped off, a sure sign of underage drinking. He eventually found the personal in charge and demanded to see the CCTV for the night before.

So there he stood with security as they scanned through the nights footage. For both the foyer and the arena its self. Realising it was imposable to spot his daughter amid the thousands of other people there as well they decided their best bit was to focus on the main entrance and exit. Scanning over the footage he spotted them enter, standing in the queue waiting to get in. They joked and laughed, then three hours later he saw them again. Horatio mumbled something under his breath. She'd dyed her hair black, he recalled the argument a couple of weeks ago where he had told her she couldn't have hair dyed. Mind you telling the truth the didn't find it surprising she had done it behind his back. Leaving with the stills they walked the route Horatio had assumed they would have taken home. His bets being on the bus as the buses from here passes both Lisa and Heathers house.

Eric and Horatio stood side by side in the street.

"So what do you think happened?" Eric asked him. Horatio never answered but stared intently at the gutter.

"This is Millie's cell phone." He said flatly whilst staring at the object. "This is our primary crime scene."


	5. Chapter 5

-1Title. Better Angels.  
Author: Samantha.  
With great thanks to: Sammie (not me you twat the other one) Ruth, Cath and the other Ruth (oh my god two Samanthas and two Ruths...jesus)  
Part: Five of about fifteen.  
Pairing: H/C baby!  
Spoilers: 3.01 - Lost Son  
Disclaimer: Unfortunately I do not own CSI:Miami the people who own them do. Trust me when I say this (along with ruth aka quarryquest) we would treat them so much more better than you arsewipes. (DONT SUE!)  
Summary: Sometimes we all need to open up...but will Horatio learn his lesson before he loses his daughter and wife

Chapter Five.

"What the hell is going on?" Asked a groggy Heather as she struggled to sit up.

"I have the major munchies!" Lisa snapped as she hit her head for the umpteenth time that night.

"I have a headache." Stated Millie as she looked around the dark room. "Guys where are we?" she asked them flatly.

"I have no idea all I know is I have the munchies and I am developing a hangover!" Lisa whined.

"Yeah well…were tied up…some serious shit is going down." Millie said to her two friends and they came round and began to sober up very fast. Heather looked around the room slowly taking in every detail. There was no window, it was dark but the walls where white.

"Dude…this place is made of Limestone." Heather informed them. As she bushed the wall, a white powder appearing on her shirt sleeve.

"How do you know that?" Lisa asked raising an eyebrow.

"I wrote my Geography paper on it. Means were in a basement somewhere in the costal ridge. it's the only place you find limestone now, Miami's below sea means so basements any further down would be flooded."

"you know Heather….I apologise for every time I ever called you a swot!" Lisa said placing her head on Heathers shoulder.

"Well we have to figure something out before we end up dead." Millie said focusing on the wall. "How are we going to get a message out."

"I don't know." Heather said sighing.

"Well in that case were just going to have to wait." Millie said voicing everyone's thoughts.

Horatio stood at the scene taking it in. He knew he was going to have to tell Calleigh. He thought deeply about how he was going to break it to her. He stood outside or several moments before opening the door. He watched Calleigh sprint in to the kitchen and the look of disappointment in her face when she realised it wasn't Millie.

"Please tell me you found her Horatio." she said her voice broken and laced with panic.

"No. Calleigh we think Millie and her friends have been kidnapped." Horatio told her his voice calm and void of any emotion.

"What!" Calleigh cried as she dropped on to her knees. "How?" she cried as Horatio bent down to comfort her.

"We don't know." He said simply again with no hint of emotion in his voice.

"How the fuck can you act so calm when our baby has been taken!" Yelled Calleigh at the top of her voice while pushing Horatio away from her. "You act as if you don't fucking care!"

"You know that's not true."

"Well you act as if she's just another victim Horatio she's your daughter!"

"And right now she is a victim and we have to find her."

"God these ropes are like cutting off the blood circulation to my hands." Lisa moaned while trying to wriggle out them.

"Don't. You'll only make it tighter Lisa." Millie warned her. Lisa automatically stopped.

"Why do you think were here?" Heather asked.

"Its obvious." Millie stated. "Some one wants to get back at my Dad."

"You think so?" Heather asked as her breathing hitched. "Oh my god." Millie quickly assessed the situation as Heather began to have a panic attack. She began to think. What would her Dad do?

"Heather." She said firmly, catching her attention. "You need to stay calm okay." she used the same tone of voice her father did. Heather nodded. "Just trust me on this. We all need to stay calm."

"You think there going to kill us?" Lisa asked as she began to cry.

"No. Were worth more to them alive than dead." the room dead panned. "Act calm and natural. I know were all scared but don't show it. It's what they want." They all nodded and fell silent.

'C'mon Dad…where the hell are you?"

It was a long hard wait for Horatio as hardly anything was found a few hairs, prints the cell phone but nothing more. Horatio stood in the lab feeling helpless the unknowing feeling of what was happening to his daughter.

"H!" Called Eric though the lab. Horatio turned around to see Eric standing there catching his breath. "You have to see this." He told him. Horatio nodded and followed him through to the AV lab. "Just got this in. Fed Ex just delivered it." Eric hit the play button, and the three girls appeared on the screen. The Lisa lay on the floor wriggling and cursing under her breath her blonde hair sprawled behind her and there sat his daughter calmly looking at her feet.

"Lisa what the hell are you doing?" Heather asked.

"God these ropes are like cutting off the blood circulation to my hands." Lisa's frustrated voice echoed round the lab.

"Don't move. You'll only make it tighter Lisa." the calm voice of Millie hit Horatio like a base ball bat. He was shocked to see her acting so calm. He watched her face, void of any emotion.

"Why do you think were here?"

"Horatio…" A stammer from the doorway pulled Horatio from this thoughts.

"Calleigh…"

"Its obvious. Some one wants to get back at my Dad."

"You think so? Oh my god." Horatio watched Heather begin to panic, her breath quicken.

"Heather." Millie's calm voice filled the room once more. "You need to stay calm okay." Horatio watched his daughter intensely. "Just trust me on this. We all need to stay calm."

He smiled.

"That's my girl. You hang in there." He said to the screen smiling as Calleigh exhaled a sigh of relief. "Cal she's going to be okay. She's going to be okay."

Horatio kept his eyes on the screen.

"Freeze that!" He snapped, Eric rewound the tape frame by frame. The camera was pulled out and whoever it was stumbled round, and there was a window. "That's the sea, looks like its high up."

"Yeah and judging from the colour of the walls they look like limestone." Eric said turning to look at Horatio.

"Their on the costal ridge."

The lab was a hub of activity as people pulled maps and information was pulled. A list of suspect house were drawn up. Photographs lay across the table, all from different sources. He picked up the still of the film and one of the Estate Agent photographs that they had managed to find. as Horatio examined them. Picking two up and comparing them. He stared at them, as one thing in particular stood out.

"H you got anything?" Eric asked him. He could hear the concern in his voice.

"That is the same Tree. We have our house."

The door to the basement opened as a man entered. Millie felt herself hulled up as Heather and Lisa stayed silent. Noticing the gun he was holding. Millie walked calmly up the stairs. She felt the temperature rise as she was dumped on her knees. She felt the cool metal of the gun on her neck. That bitter taste rose up from inside her as she hid her fear from her captors. She held her head up high and locked eye contact with the man in front of her.

"Now Millie. I'm sure your Daddy's missing you so the soon we get this over the soon you'll see him. Do as I say and this will all get wrapped up so much nicer." he growled. Millie simply snorted.

"Not a snowballs chance in hell." she spat. He grabbed her by her hair pulling her head back.

"Now your going to look at that camera and say what I tell you okay." Millie looked at the camera noticing the recording light was flashing. and simply blinked. She stared down the lens and then turned back to the man.

"Like I said. Not a snowballs chance in hell." Millie stated calmly. She felt the gun press against her skin. She smirked kicking backwards, hitting him right where it hurt. Before she could breath she felt herself tackled to the floor. Millie fought back with all her might until she felt something sharp and cold pierce the skin on her arm, she cried out as her arm stung, trying to wriggle away. Within seconds she began to feel dizzy, her world spun out of control as her body seemed unable to move. Panic rose faster as she fought to keep it subdued.

"Dad…" she whispered as her world turned to black.


	6. Chapter 6

-1Title. Better Angels.  
Author: Samantha.  
With great thanks to: Sammie (not me you twat the other one) Ruth, Cath and the other Ruth (oh my god two Samanthas and two Ruths...jesus)  
Part: Six of about fifteen.  
Pairing: H/C baby!  
Spoilers: 3.01 - Lost Son  
Disclaimer: Unfortunately I do not own CSI:Miami the people who own them do. Trust me when I say this (along with ruth aka quarryquest) we would treat them so much more better than you arsewipes. (DONT SUE!)  
Summary: Sometimes we all need to open up...but will Horatio learn his lesson before he loses his daughter and wife

Chapter Six:

"Please tell me you know where she is!" Calleigh cried in to Horatio's chest.

"We think we know where she is." He told her rubbing her back.

"Then why are you still hear!" she cried loudly pushing Horatio off her. With that they were on their way. With half an hour they had the house surrounded.

From the basement Heather and Lisa could hear the commotion above as the police announced themselves and stormed the house. They cleared each room one by one as panic grew as Heather and Lisa were both found with no sign of Millie. That was until they reached the garden. Horatio caught it out the corner of his eye, both his and Calleigh's gun where there before they were.

"Put the kid down." Horatio warned as he saw him holding a disorientated and limp Millie by the scruff.

"Ahh Lieutenant Caine. So nice to see you again."

"I said put her down now." He repeated sternly, not phased by the gun that was being held to his child's head. He watched Millie shiver from what he presumed fear.

"We'll I see you found our little humble abode a bit earlier than we planed."

"Smith put her down now."

"You remember my name I'm so touched." Horatio growled he was not in the mood to humour this man. "You want your kid. Go get her." Horatio held his breath as he watched Smith push the still tied up Millie in to the swimming pool. Calleigh had him on the floor with her gun trained to his head quicker than the blink of an eye.

Horatio threw himself in to the pool pulling out Millie on to the poolside.

"C'mon Millie open your eyes." He begged holding her limp body as he untied her. A small cough jolted her body as she brought back up the water she had breathed in. Roiling on to her side she continued to cough up the water that had managed to get in to her lungs. "Before you start. I know I'm grounded." she commented as she pulled herself up on her knees, stabilising herself with her hand as she trembled. She found her body give way as she tried to get up. Her father catching her before she hit the ground.

"No, no your not grounded." He told her gently as he looked in to her eyes, he froze noticing her pupils dilated.

"Millie, what did they do to you." He asked tilting her head so she had to look him in the eyes. Millie looked up to her father, confusion in her eyes as she shook her head, signalling that she didn't know. He could feel her shivering as her cloths stuck to her small body. "My arm hurts." she mumbled weekly looking up at him. Horatio looked over Millie's left arm, the small bruise catching his eye. Gently lifting her arm he got a closer look, he twisted it round slowly. His heart lurching as she saw the small round puncture would. "Its okay sweetie. Your safe now." He told her pulling her closer to him, stroking her now black hair he felt her grip on to his shirt. "I'm so proud of you." He told her as for the first time that day he allowed his emotions to show. Millie snapped her head up, shock evident in her eyes.

"I'm sorry." Millie whispered her voice shaken as a tear slid from her eye.

"Oh honey."

"I'm sorry I skipped school and I'm sorry I smoked that rubbish and I'm sorry I snuck out to the gig. I'm sorry I made you and mom argue all the time." Each word was a punch to Horatio's heart as Millie reached up brushing his wet hair off his face so she could see his eyes.

"Its not your fault." He told her gently. Millie sighed and closed her eyes. Her world spinning uncontrollably again. "Millie." he stated as his heart rate began to increase as another wave of panic hit him with renewed force. "Millie c'mon honey look at me." Millie did as she was told and looked at her father as she began to cry.

"Dad…" she whispered.

"Yeah. I'm hear I'm still here."

"I don't feel good..." She told him between sobs as fear rose in her.

"I know. We'll get you all sorted okay."

"I was frightened."

"You did great. You did perfect kiddo." Millie nodded as she let it all go, griping on to her fathers shirt she cried into him. Her tears mingling with the chlorine saturated water which covered them both. The medics arrived and the point came where Horatio knew he would have to leave Millie. He looked down at her with sad eyes and moved a bang of hair from her cheek. "Millie, I'm going to let go now okay. The medics are going to check you over." He told her as he tried released her from the hug.

"No!" cried Millie as she hug desperately tight to her father frightened of letting go.

"Millie..."

"No…don't let go!" she cried begging him as she buried her head in his shoulder. "Please…Don't let go." Her begging plea brought a tear to Horatio's eye.

"I'll be right here kiddo. I'll be right by your side. I promise. " Millie nodded and let go of her fathers shirt reluctantly. The medics moved in as Horatio stood behind them still in the view of his daughter keeping his promise not to leave her side.

He felt the presence of his wife beside him.

"Is she okay?"

"Yeah. She's okay." he told her as they hugged.

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine." he lied. She saw that sad look in his eye, as he beat himself up inside.

"Don't lie. Your not okay." Calleigh whispered in his ear.

"I will be." he said with truth. "You would both be better off with out me." Calleigh froze. "This is my fault Calleigh. She appolised. Right after I pulled her out the pool, she heard us arguing at night." He told his wife as she rested her head on his shoulder. "I read her messenger conversations Calleigh. She said that…she was frightened something would happen to me again. God Cal I've put her though so much. Maybe it would be better if I wasn't around." Calleigh looked her husband in the eye. "Non of this would have happened Cal…you know if you wanted me to. I would go now. If its what you both wanted."

"Don't be stupid." She told him as tears left her eyes. "You know I love you. Millie loves you more than anything. She worships you for Christ sake Horatio!"

"All I do is hurt you both."

"You've never hurt me Horatio."

"I'm sorry Calleigh for being a bad husband." Calleigh held him close as he confessed his feeling. "I love you."

"I love you too." They held each other close.

There attention turned their daughter who was fighting the medics as they tried to place an IV in the back of her hand. Horatio's heart broke at the sight of his panic stricken child as she fought with the energy she had left to prevent the needle touching her skin. She pushed the medics hand away from her. Trying desperately to prevent the needle ever touching her skin. Horatio knew her fears were justified. The medic warned her he would sedate her if she didn't stop fighting however his warning fell on deaf ears as Millie continued to struggle and become panic stricken as her breathing began to become irregular. He heard Millie cough as she chocked on her own tears, clearly severely distressed. Horatio decided it was time to step in.

"See I'm right here just like I promised." He told her holding her hand as she calmed down, he could still feel her trembling as the medic took his chance and slid the IV in. Millie cried out in pain and curled herself in to a ball, the medic still holding her hand to prevent her pulling it out, worn out and tired she gave up.

Horatio finally had time to take in the scene, the chill caught him too as he realised he was soaking after diving in to the pool. Chaos was all he saw as Smith was haled away and his colleges arrived. Calleigh instructed him to go home and get changed, telling him he would catch a cold and get ill. He agreed to it only to make his wife feel better . Then promised Millie he would meet them at the hospital.

On the way out the house a picture caught his eye, there he stood holding a four year old blonde Millie, her hair hung just below her shoulders. A pink t-shirt with sea shells and a happy smile. Her blue eyes, his blue eyes bubbly as she laughed. Catching the light like a crystal. He remembered the day well. For some reason Millie never really liked water or sand. However they took her to the beach in an attempt to get the five year old to realise water wasn't scary and it wouldn't harm her. He could hear her soft giggle as the water lapped on to her feet as it took both Horatio and Calleigh to convince Millie to go out up to her knees.

"_C'mon honey I'm right beside you." Calleigh said gently coaxing the four year old in to the water. A small wave broke at Millie's feet as she cried and ran back from the waters edge. Millie stood several feet back sucking her thumb as her eyes filled with tears._

"_I don't like it!" She cried loudly._

"_C'mon Millie I think we might be able to find some nice sea shells." Calleigh told her smiling._

"_Like the one on my shirt?" Millie asked her voice quivering._

"_Yeah! Just like that but I'll need you to help me."_

"_Okay." and with that Millie cautiously stepped up to the water, taking her first step into the water she froze looking up._

"_That's it kiddo." Horatio told her smiling as she continued to walk out. Reaching her Father she stuck her hands up in the air to be lifted up. Horatio bent down and promptly fell into the shallow water. Soaking both himself and Millie. Instead of the cry of tears he expected a giggle reached his ears. "You think Daddy getting wet is funny?" he asked her. Millie nodded with a broad smile. Horatio looked to Calleigh who was smiling too happy to see her daughter laugh. _

"_A shell for Daddy." Millie said reaching in to the water and pulling a shell out. "Because Daddy got wet."_

Of course it backfired as they couldn't get her back out the water at the end of the day. The little things came back to him, the ones that made him smile. Like how she would ask for the same bed time story every night, or the way she would refuse to go to sleep without her stuffed toy. Her first day at school, where she came home with a drawing of her 'mommy and daddy' catching the bad guys at work, after throwing a two hour tantrum about not wanting to go.

_They stood at the gates waiting for their daughter to appear._

"_Mommy, daddy!" she cried running up to them holding a picture. "Look at what I drew!" The bright smile across the blue eyed blonde almost seemed to light up the world for Horatio. _

"_Wow. That's a great painting." He told his daughter picking her up, she wrapped her arms around him, and buried her head in his shoulder. _

"_Its mommy and daddy catching the bad guys, I wanna be just like you and mommy!" she said with a smile._

"_Did you enjoy school?"_

"_Yeah, there's this really cool girl in my class called Heather! She's funny…but there's this boy who is really annoying!" _

"_So you going to go back tomorrow?"_

"_Yeah but Millie missed daddy…"Millie told her father, with her bottle lip quivering. "Millie doesn't want to go if daddy isn't there."_

"_Well, Daddy can't come to school with you." _

"_Why not!" Millie cried loudly as a tear slid from her eye._

"_Because school is just for Millie because Millie is extra special and smart" He told her touching her nose as she began to giggle._

"_Just for Millie…"_

"_Yup just for Millie." _

He remembered Calleigh walking in to the lab in tears telling him about how she had begged her not to leave her in what she described as a 'dump'. Horatio chuckled as he walked out to his car. After hearing Millie's sarcastic arrogance many people had said in the past there was no way she could be anyone but Horatio's daughter.

The drive took only minutes but seemed like forever to Horatio was just wanted to be with his family. He tracked them down. After talking with the doctor all they realised they could do was sit and wait for test results. Millie by now had fallen asleep as Calleigh stroked her hair, that was a little thing that choked Horatio up. He though back to when Millie was just a baby in his arms and he's stroke her hair the same way. She'd grown fast and now he regretted the days he didn't spent with her.


	7. Chapter 7

-1Title. Better Angels.  
Author: Samantha.  
With great thanks to: Sammie (not me you twat the other one) Ruth, Cath and the other Ruth (oh my god two Samanthas and two Ruths...jesus)  
Part: Seven of about fifteen.  
Pairing: H/C baby!  
Spoilers: 3.01 - Lost Son  
Disclaimer: Unfortunately I do not own CSI:Miami the people who own them do. Trust me when I say this (along with ruth aka quarryquest) we would treat them so much more better than you arsewipes. (DONT SUE!)  
Summary: Sometimes we all need to open up...but will Horatio learn his lesson before he loses his daughter and wife

Chapter Seven:

It was a long wait in to the night until Millie's tox results came back, a very nervous Horatio and Calleigh turned to face the doctor.

"We found high levels of alcohol and cannabis in her system as well as crystal meth." Horatio was floored.

"Have you double checked that?" he asked shocked,

"Yes. She admitted to us she was drinking and smoking at the gig but denies taking the meth." Horatio turned to look at his daughter again. As Calleigh held Millie's hand tightly. He look in Calleigh's eyes was of disbelief.

"She would have never of taken meth Horatio." she told him shaking her head.

"I know. She didn't."

"You saying she was drugged." All he could do was nod to her an answer, unable to say the words himself.

"I…I…I..eh…need coffee. I'll be back in a moment." Calleigh said swiftly exiting the room. Horatio left her knowing she wanted to be alone. He took her set beside his daughter holding her hand.

"I'm sorry honey. This is my fault." He told his sleeping daughter. "I've been a bad father. Why didn't you tell me how your felt? I wouldn't have gone back to work if it upset you that much. I'm sorry I pushed you too hard at school. Right now I will make you a promise. Well go out one week end a month. Just us, and I'll be a better Dad."

"You are a good Dad…stop angsting." The sleepy voice said. "Dad…I know you'll beat yourself up over this. I swear to god if you do I'm buying a drum kit!" she said a smirk on her face.

"Are you okay?"

"I'm okay. What's the point of dwelling over it you know shit happens. I'm not going to beat myself up over it. What's the point. Its not worth getting all depressed and angsting over it. Plus I knew I wasn't going to die there." Horatio simply smiled. "Is there any chance of sneaking me in a MacDonald's….bet the food is crap in here." He chuckled.

"I'll se what I can do." He told her ruffling her hair.

"Yo dude! Hair that's a no no! Rule one don't ever ever mess my hair up….no matter how messy it is in the first place."

"So what other rules do I need to know about then?" Horatio asked her with a smile.

"um…no matter how often you try to get me to eat it I will never ever like courgettes so you might as well give up while you're ahead."

"Okay anything else?"

"Yeah do not wake me up before lunchtime on a weekend. God gave us them for a reason and that reason is lying in bed all day." Horatio laughed again.

"You know wait till your older and you have a job."

"I am no way getting a job man, can't I sponge off you for the rest of my life?" Horatio simply blinked, as a wide grin appeared on Millie's face. "Rule three you need to learn to take a joke." Horatio nodded taking note as he joked with his daughter. Who by now had forgotten about the IV in her arm and was quite happy flicking though the TV. Calleigh and Horatio decided Millie was old enough to know what was going on and she should know the truth. It took three goes for Millie to understand what the doctor was saying as she grew ever more frustrated with the scientific jargon.

"So what's going to happen?" Millie asked cautiously. "And I want an answer where there are no words longer then three syllables." The doctor smiled.

"You seem well enough but you'll feel the downer kick in for a few hours and you'll feel pretty rough for a while but we want to keep you in overnight just to be safe." Millie nodded and the family said there goodbyes as Calleigh and Horatio were flung out the ward. However sleep evaded Millie for most of the night as reality of the events kicked in and memories played in her mind. She began to wonder…will she really be able to forget all this?

Both Calleigh and Horatio welcomed sleep even if it was disturbed with worry. The next morning Calleigh went to the hospital as Horatio paid a visit to the lab. He sat in the lab, choosing to process the evidence himself as he began with a video tape from the house. He braced himself before watching it.

He watched Smith confront his daughter,

"Now Millie. I'm sure your Daddy's missing you so the soon we get this over the soon you'll see him. Do as I say and this will all get wrapped up so much nicer." He heard Smith growl at Millie. He was taken aback to hear a snort from Millie

"Not a snowballs chance in hell." He watched him grab her by the hair and pull her head back. Still somehow Millie managed her keep herself calm and collective, showing no emotion in her expression, managing to keep herself in check as the gun touched her skin.

"Now your going to look at that camera and say what I tell you okay." His daughter looked right at him down the camera then back again.

"Like I said. Not a snowballs chance in hell." Millie stated calmly. Horatio watched the man with the gun to his child's head, as Millie saw him drop his guard for one moment and took her moment. With in seconds Millie was pinned on the floor and drugged. Horatio could only just make out the barely audible whisper of "Dad…" Horatio made a vow to himself and his daughter. He was not getting away with this!

"You going down Smith." He growled at the screen.

Millie sat up, rubbing her cheek against the collar of her hooded jumper, feeling the soft newly washed fabric. She wrapped her arms around her self and felt the warmth of her hooded top embracing her as she had wished so often that her father would have done. A tear slid from her eye as she tapped her converse against the floor. She clung on to the warm feeling she had managed to create for herself to distract herself from the fact she was alone.

"You ready to go?" Calleigh asked looking at her daughter. Millie nodded and flowed her mother silently. Her hood up covering her black hair as Calleigh reached for her hand, Millie took it, not understanding why. That was until they got outside. The flash of a camera caught Millie off guard as her mother pulled her hood further down her face. Keeping her eyes low she avoided the camera flashes and surprised the urge to turn and slap the people who were asking her questions. Calleigh lead her through the crowd and into their car. "You okay." Millie nodded sliding down the seat. She felt the gentle motion of the car and her mothers driving sooth her. Closing her eyes she felt her breath catch in her chest as the car came to an abrupt halt. She snapped her eyes open and calmed her breathing back down. She stared out the window, praying for the journey to end.

Millie swiftly exited the car and threw herself up the stairs in to the comfort zone that was her bedroom. She slid the laptop under her bed, shivering when she saw it. She curled herself up in to a ball and sighed. This was her room, she was safe here and she pulled her covers over her, blocking the light and trapping the heat.

"Caine."

"Horatio. There are god damn reporters everywhere! Millie nearly got torn apart Horatio! Now this." Calleigh cried distraught.

"I'm on my way home okay. What did the doctors say?"

"Gave her the all clear physically. Mentally on the other hand god only knows how she's going to cope with this." she told her husband quietly as she walked though to the kitchen pulling ingredients out the fridge for lunch.

"Right I'm on my way home okay."

"Right okay love you." With lunch well underway by the time Horatio arrived home.

"How is Millie?"

"She's locked herself in her room. She won't come out." Calleigh told him "I think the reporters freaked her out a bit. She seems a bit shaken up."

"That's to be expected."

"God." Calleigh sighed sitting down and holding her face in her hands. "I don't know what to do Horatio." she began as yet more tears fell down her face which seemed to be a constant waterfall at this moment. "He held a gun to my baby's head! He tried to kill my baby!" Horatio sat down beside his wife automatically. "I couldn't live with myself if they've done anything to her Horatio." He held his wife close.

"She's a strong kid just like her mother."

"Please go talk to Millie." she asked him.


	8. Chapter 8

Title. Better Angels.  
Author: Samantha.  
With great thanks to: Sammie (not me you twat the other one) Ruth, Cath and the other Ruth (oh my god two Samanthas and two Ruths...jesus)  
Part: Eight of about fifteen.  
Pairing: H/C baby!  
Spoilers: 3.01 - Lost Son  
Disclaimer: Unfortunately I do not own CSI:Miami the people who own them do. Trust me when I say this (along with ruth aka quarryquest) we would treat them so much more better than you arsewipes. (DONT SUE!)  
Summary: Sometimes we all need to open up...but will Horatio learn his lesson before he loses his daughter and wife

Chapter Eight

"It is understood the three teens, including Lieutenant Horatio Caine's daughter were abducted from a bus stop outside the American Airliners Arena. The three teens were found safe and well yesterday afternoon, and Millicent Caine was released from hospital this morning. At this point there is no statement from any of the families involved or the Police Department." Millie frowned at the T.V

"Fucking arseholes." she hissed as she flipped the channel.

"Millicent Caine and her two friends Heather King and Lisa Richmond were abducted on Saturday night around eleven o'clock after attending a concert at the American Airliners Arena. They were recovered yesterday after a police operation. It is understood that Millicent Caine was released from hospital this morning after spending the night in observation. Presently there is no statement from any of the involved." flipping the channel after channel they were all covering the same story. Her story, looking up from the T.V she spotted her father.

"You okay?"

"Yeah, I'm good." Millie said with a fake smile. "Its amazing how stupid these people are." She told him flatly as she continued to flick though channels. "Oh my god! The woman has like mossy green hair!" Millie cried with laughter as she burst out in hysterics. "Imagine how the poor child got the piss ripped out her at school!"

"Millie stop pretending your okay. You know you can talk to me right."

"Yeah. Dad honestly I'm okay." she told him sincerely as he sat down beside her. "Don't worry about me I'll be fine. Like I said. It isn't worth getting all down about it. Shit happens."

"Not like this Millie."

"Well what doesn't kill you makes you stronger right. Its in the past already. It happened big deal I can't change that. All I can do is deal with it and move on. I will not waist my life wallowing in self pity and blaming that twat for screwing my life up. It just sort of made me realised that I might have screwed up a bit this year." Millie said smiling.

"You sure?"

"Yes I'm sure."

"You coming for lunch?"

"As long as it doesn't have courgettes in it." Horatio smiled.

"No. No courgettes."

"Oh thank god!" and with that Millie switched of the T.V and prepared to eat a meal that she really didn't feel like having. She ate it anyway. Knowing it would keep her parents off her back for a while, that sick feeling built up inside her as she sat watching some mind numbingly boring documentary on how paper is made. Millie suppressed the urge throw her lunch back up and managed to get away with declining dinner after claiming she was still full from lunch.

The next week passed similarly with the press relentlessly picking for every scrap that they could as Horatio battled to keep the full details of the abduction from entering the media circle. The familiar alarm clock work Millie from her already disturbed slumber. Signalling the beginning of the working week. She dragged herself up and after a shower and some bonding time with her hair straighteners she waltzed down the stairs in her uniform which was responsible for numerous arguments. The red blazer with the school crest in gold. Her black zip up hooded jumper which covered the white shirt and not to mention the damn gold and red striped tie which Millie had tried to sneak in the bin several times. The black, white and grey tartan kilt which she had vowed to burn on her graduation day after crying for half an hour in the shop at disgust for the aforementioned garment and instead of the customary shoes she had managed to sneak one of her four pairs of converse on her feet. She bid goodbye to her parents as Heather arrived and they set off.

"Jesus, your mom and dad were okay about it. Mine went ape shit at me! I am grounded for the rest of the month!"

"Yeah surprisingly enough they didn't flip when they found out I was drunk at the time." Millie explained.

"I think they were just glad to have you back. My mom on the other hand is still flipping!" Heather explained as they walked past the sign reading 'St. Andrews Predatory School.' The hell hole in which Heather and herself were stuck in. She cursed Lisa who had the privilege of going to a normal school.

Millie began to go though the rituals of getting ready for class. Collecting books from her locker and reporting to homeroom. The enviable began as Millie moved from class to class. The whispers and stairs of other pupils as they moved past her. Millie took her better judgement and reminded herself she was over the whole thing completely already and she was above these people, 'I do not need to hit them to feel better.' The whole day passed extremely slowly for her as she grew bored of her teachers constant talking and the stairs from her classmates. Instead of the usual constant chattering, winding everyone else up and taking the piss out of the people she felt below her. She watched the clouds drift out the window and sighed.

After getting home Millie spent the majority of the night sitting on the living room floor in front of the T.V writing a Biology paper she had been landed with.

'DNA (Deoxyribonucleic Acid.) is formed from a series of bases on a back bone, which contain the basic instructions for the syntheses of proteins in living organisms. These polymer proteins are formed from monomers of amino acids, which in a condensation polymerisation reaction form proteins. These proteins are essential as they control all functions of the body from hair and skin colour to respiration.'

Millie cried in frustration again as she hit the backspace button deleting her work.

"Dad!" she whined loudly.

"Yeah..."

"I'm stuck! Come and help me!"

"What are you doing?" He asked standing behind her.

"Stupid Biology paper! I have to write a lab report….I don't know how to!" Millie explained frustrated. I cant even get the damn introduction right! I'm never going to get this finished."

"What are you writing it on?"

"Some experiment we did a couple of months back. We got to isolate DNA from an onion….it was quite cool actually…I did so not just say that." Millie slapped her hand to her forehead. "Please help."

"Okay." Horatio sat on the floor beside his daughter and smiled. He'd missed this. "Right what you got then."

"Um….a blank page." Millie said sheepishly. "It keeps sounds too, well, stupid. I need to get an A on this to make up for the F…that way I might be able to scrape a B by the end of the year!"

"Okay. So explain to me how this works."

"I don't know…eh…I suppose it eh…well, it has something to with cells and stuff." Horatio simply blinked.

"Anything else?" he asked flatly.

"Well its in a cell."

"I suppose we better start from there then." He sighed pulling the textbooks over to view them. He paused, reading the information and condensing it down to a level that Millie would understand.

"Right DNA is in the cells nucleus. it's a code." Millie nodded. "Which is made up of things called bases. There's four of them and they tell the cell what proteins to make."

"See I lost you right there. That is way beyond me."

Horatio sighed and began again. Twenty minutes later he left a happy Millie who was furiously typing away. He smiled to himself, this only reminded him of the time he had spent with her when she was younger. The way she would get frustrated and angry at herself because she was always just the bit behind everyone else at catching on. Then there were the days her dyslexia got the better of her and she gave up altogether. It masked the fact the Millie was an intelligent girl who could understand complex ideals but found the easier ones harder to process. He watched her for a few minutes as she riffled though notebooks as her report began to take shape. She picked up the laptop and carried it in to the kitchen where her mother and father were making dinner. She informed them she'd finished it and read it out to them. She beamed in the praise she received. Happy to feel the way she used to. Even with her dyslexia Millie was a grade A student who impressed her teachers with her determination, drive and dedication to getting the grades that would impress her father. Even though Millie wasn't really interested in it she gave it everything she had in the hope her parents would be proud of her.


	9. Chapter 9

-1Chapter Nine:

The weeks slowly passed as Millie worked late every night to redo the coursework she had failed. She'd managed to get out of eating almost every meal with excuses ranging from 'I'm not hungry' to 'I had a big lunch'.

"I'm just not hungry Dad!" Millie protested pushing the plate of food away from her.

"Just have a small bit then."

"I don't want it!" Millie cried getting up from the table.

"Where do you think your going?"

"I have course work to do! Piss off and leave me alone!" Millie screamed from the top of the staircase before slamming her door shut. She threw herself down on to her bed and looked at the English essay which stared back at her. She went back to typing and before she realised it was getting late. She finished for the night and tried to sleep. However sleep ran away from her again. Getting up she pulled a hooded top over her head and picked up her diary before tip toed down the stairs.

She turned the alarm off and slid the patio door open quietly as she walked out into the garden. She settled herself down on the dry grass and in the moonlight she opened her diary and began to write,

_Thursday March 21st. _

_3am._

_Today's been rough. Another day without sleep. So that's why I'm sitting in the garden at 3am trying to somehow organise my thoughts in to some sort of order be it random if any.. It would be better than the way I'm feeling now. Its like there's some giant assed drunken party and everything is all over the place. Things don't make sense to me. Its hard to describe really. I can't explain it and that's what's irritating me! I can still hear his voice telling me he would kill me. I can still feel the cold metal of the gun on my neck. Then I wake up everyday and have to watch it all over again on the news. The press just wont give it up. There's more important things in the world than this. Dad has managed to get a court order so the press cant come near me. Thank god_

_It feels as if my whole world has fallen apart. As if suddenly I'm not me. This isn't the me I know. I wake up and cry because I can see it all happening again. The look in my Dads eyes as he pulled me out the pool. The fear that something had happened to me. He told me he was proud of me. Why? I totally went against everything he told me today so why would that make him proud. Its as if he could have seen me. Like he knows more about this whole thing than he's lettering on. _

_That's fine I don't really want to know but something keeps bugging me. I want to know what he found at that house that has made him so damn upset. He's beating himself up about it I can tell. He always does it. I wish he would stop its making the whole house sad. Or is it just me imagining it. He does it all the time. Hides things from me, hides his feelings. Like when Speed died. I miss Speed a lot. I though when I heard that Dad had got shot…the same thing had happened. It brought it all back. I thought I'd lost him too. Sounds weird but I can still remember the way I used to convince him to take me for ice cream when mom and dad where out._

_The stars are nice tonight. The sky's clear again, I wish my mind would clear like that. Its as if your trying to look at the moon though hazy cloud. Like you can see it, but you cant. I know it doesn't make sense does it? My mind has never really made sense to me. Though its never really been like this. It's beyond a joke now. I can't get to sleep no matter how hard I try. I need to sleep before my whole body gives away. So that's why I'm sitting in the garden at 3am trying to find someway of somehow getting everything in here so I can forget about it. But its not like that will happen will it? I'll wake up with the dream night after night. _

_Heather and Lisa don't know what really happened to me yet. They think nothing happened. They won't know. I can't bear to tell them. . So in 5 hours time I have to get up and go to school. So I'm going to attempt to get some sleep then there will be a whole new argument over breakfast. Fucking great._

_I feel as if I have done something really stupid. I cut myself for the first time. It felt so strangely soothing, its like my troubles just bleed out me and I can get on with life after its as if…_

Millie snapped her diary as a light flicked on in the house. She swore under her breath and snuck back into the living room. Sliding the door behind her and arming the alarm. She paused at the bottom of the staircase as she heard the bathroom door close and took her moment. Running up the stairs in to her room without making a sound she slid her diary back into its hiding place and climbed into bed. The light went off as whoever it was went back to bed.

"Close call." she hissed. Turning over and cocooning herself in the covers. Sleep came to her as the sun began to rise.

The alarm screamed out across the house and a sleeping Millie threw it across the room silencing it forever before roiling back over and went back sleep. An hour later Horatio stood at her door watching her sleep. Not having the heart to wake her he left her a note telling her he had gone to work and not to bother going to school. The shrill ring of the phone woke Millie who dragged her self up and bolted down the stairs.

"Hello." She mumbled sleepily.

"You okay Kiddo?"

"You woke me up." Millie mumbled complaining.

"Sorry. Are you okay on your own for a couple of hours?"

"Yeah. Why are both in work so early?"

"Millie, its three in the afternoon." Horatio told her.

"Is it? Oh bugger. I've missed school."

"Don't worry about that. I called in sick for you."

"Thanks Dad."

"I should be home around five okay."

"Yeah great see you then." Millie hung up and crawled back up the stairs. She began the never ending school work she had to do. Going though her deadlines one by one, she realised she still had a music project to do. Groaning she pulled on one of her several black long sleeved tops and got dressed. Taking her music book she trundled down the stairs and dusted of the piano.

God she hadn't played this thing is years. She sat down and taped a few keys to make sure it was still in tune. She opened her music book and propped up on her knee. Looking at music she had written in it a couple of days she lay her hands on the keys and played the small segment of music twice before ripping the page out and throwing it away. She paused looking at the piano. She lay her hands gently on the keys and closed her eyes and played the notes that came in to her head. Weaving together a song between the flurries of jotting down notes and lyrics.

It took her hours to perfect the song, she never heard the door open as she began to sing. He hadn't heard her play the piano in so long. Too long.

"I open my eyes  
I try to see but I'm blinded by the white light  
I can't remember how  
I can't remember why  
I'm lying here tonight"

Her soft voice carried across the air gracefully, stopping he waited and listened. The slow, soft piano gently flowed a long with Millie's voice. He had always enjoyed hearing Millie play. It was something she found easy and was happy doing. He used to look forward to her coming home from piano lessens, determined to show him what she had learned.

"And I can't stand the pain  
And I can't make it go away  
No I can't stand the pain"

He sat his car keys down gently on the kitchen counter and leaned against it. As he tried to think about the words. He knew recovery was going to be hard for Millie who, Horatio though had been taking it quite well.

"How could this happen to me  
I made my mistakes  
I've got no where to run  
The night goes on  
As I'm fading away  
I'm sick of this life  
I just wanna scream  
How could this happen to me?"

He could feel the pain in Millie's words and knew within a heart beat that he would have taken it all away from her. He blamed himself. Knowing that the kidnapping was aimed to hurt him and it had. He held his head in his hands as his stomach plummeted.

"Everybody's screaming  
I try to make a sound but no one hears me  
I'm slipping off the edge  
I'm hanging by a thread  
I wanna start this over again"

Had she been calling out to him? He knew the answer to that. She'd been doing it for months. She'd been crying out to him for months and he hadn't listened. He told himself if he had listened. If he had taken the time to stop and just listen, just looked that bit deeper he would have seen it. Then none of this would have happened.

"So I try to hold onto a time when nothing mattered  
And I can't explain what happened  
And I can't erase the things that I've done  
No I can't"

Fear rose again in Horatio as he began to wonder what has going on inside his daughters head. What was going on? What was happening to her? All he wanted to do was hold her and tell her everything was going to be all right but he wasn't sure that it would be. Would Millie ever be able to put this behind her? He knew deep down Millie blamed herself for it, feeling that she had jeopardised her friends safety and the only thing he rested happy in was the fact she wouldn't be pulling a 'Millie Plan' again.

"I made my mistakes  
I've got no where to run  
The night goes on  
As I'm fading away  
I'm sick of this life  
I just wanna scream  
How could this happen to me?"

The key changed as Millie shifted the song up a gear. The piano building as she repeated the chorus, making no attempt to cover the emotion in her own voice as she felt a tear escape. The piano solo kicked in as her hands glided across the keys. Her concentration fully on playing, her eyes cast down towards the keys and her tearstained notebook, not noticing her father. Who stood, head bowed behind her. Listening and watching.

Millie played the song out perfectly. Every note on time as the tempo of the song slowed. Ending with one chord that rang out across the house, chilling the air.

"I haven't heard you play like that in years." Horatio told his child who snapped round.

"You weren't meant to hear it." Millie told him in an almost childish tone looking back down at the piano keys, her hair falling and covering her eyes. Horatio bent down her eye level and looked at her sadly.

"You know, I thought it was beautiful." He told her. Millie finally looked her Dad in the eyes.

"Thanks."

"Where did you learn to play like that?"

"I'll come clean with you but promise me you wont be angry."

"Depends what it is Millie."

"Well." She turned to face her father. "I forged your signature on my course choice form and switched my subjects. I wanted to take music but I didn't think you'd let me because you seemed so adamant on me taking academic subjects. Which I don't really like but I try hard at them because I know I'll need them in the future. I'm sorry." Millie took a deep breath. "Don't worry I know I'm grounded." Horatio looked at his daughter with sad eyes. Seeing only the same emotion in his daughters eyes.

"I wont pretend that I am not angry at you for doing that but I'm glad you told me, and quite frankly I'm impressed."

"So I'm not grounded."

"No your not. You know Millie. You can always talk to me. You know that right?"

"Yeah….I guess its just sometimes…it feels as if I can't do anything to impress you…" Millie said in an almost whisper.

"You know I am proud of you no matter what you do Millie. I am always proud of you and I thank god everyday for giving me such a beautiful, talented girl," Horatio said truthfully, brushing the black bang of hair that had fallen in Millie's face hiding her eyes.

"Really?"

"Yeah. C'mon here." he said pulling Millie in to a hug. "I will always be proud of you Millie." He told her as Millie began to cry.

"I just feel as if I can't do anything right." She told him crying. "As if everything I do isn't good enough for anyone."

"That's not true Millie."

"Yes it is. Everyone is always yelling at me in school…and all they do is whisper about me behind my backs and the teachers have a go at me in class for not trying hard enough…you have no idea what its like. Everyone expects so much of me…"

"Sweetie." Horatio began, however he was cut off.

"I hate that school, there all stuck up jackasses." Millie told him drying her eyes. "Seriously its all about parties and who's with who…"

"That's what high school is like."

"Well school stinks." Millie snapped wrinkling her nose up, just like she did as a young child.

"Yeah it does." Horatio said agreeing with her. "Promise me next time, when your upset. Come and talk to me okay."

"Yeah. I promise."

"That my girl."


	10. Chapter 10

-1Chapter Ten:

Nothing changed in the Caine household. Things slowly seeped back to the way they had been before hand. Millie kept out her parents way. Consoling herself in her bedroom by blasting out the heavy rock music, without which the house seemed empty. Weeks past as Millie slowly sunk herself into her room, only emerging for a few fleeting glances then back again. However this behaviour had become of no concern. Horatio and Calleigh both thanked God there child had seemed to recover, seemed being the word to use. Truth was Millie wasn't really okay and deep down both her parents knew that. However you can only hide for so long.

A slamming door caused the house to shake violently. It had been a tough day, a case was getting to both Horatio and Calleigh. Millie on the other hand had just been though one of the worst days at school in her life. After failing the Chemistry exam she had studied so hard for weeks she felt disheartened and upset. Horatio sighed, the stress had been building up in him all day the last straw came when the thundering heavy rock music shook the very foundations of the house.

Millie slammed the door to her room and turned her music up full blast the thrashing guitar and screaming lyrics easing her slightly. She sat on the floor, sliding her hand under her bed she pulled a small box out. Her box of tricks. Her box of escape. She began her ritual. Roiling her sleeves up, she unwrapped a blade and tilted it to the light, the edge of the blade, shimmering in the bright Miami light. Taking a few moments to chose where this event should happen, she placed it to her skin and dragged it along, the searing pain in her arm made her smile. She was in control again and she loved it. She watched the blood trickle down her arm for a few seconds before placing the blade at the beginning and starting again, this time applying more pressure. She couldn't hear the footsteps as she cut deeper in to her arm. She couldn't feel the pain, all she felt was the calm effect it had on her. The immense pressure that had been building up all day seemed to just disappear., as if it was evaporated by the sun. She watched the blood fall down her arm, the red liquid snaking down her arm, spiralling fascinated her. She held the blade in her had still, continuing to watch the blood, her blood.

"Millie?"

The music cut out.

She froze in shock. Her hand trembling as she met her fathers eyes, fear filling them. Millie made no attempt to hid the blade. He'd already seen it, she grasped the blade in her hand, feeling dig into her palm. "Millie?" He asked her. He knelt in front of her. Looking deeply in to her eyes.

He'd discovered her dirty little secret. Her deepest secret. The one thing that kept her from totally losing her mind, she was about to lose her only escape.

"Millie give me the blade honey." Millie shook her head and physically withdrawing back form him, reading his body language clearly. Horatio said nothing as Millie moved further away from him, still holding the blade in her hand as it sliced her palm, she shook her head as a droplet of blood slipped of her arm and on to the floor.

"No." Millie cried defiantly, clutching the metal in her hand tighter as it slit the palm of her hand open causing blood to seep though her fingers. She could read him however Horatio couldn't. He looked at his daughter with sad eyes, he couldn't understand.

"Millie we need to talk."

"Why should we, you never care, today is no different." Millie told him as his heart broke she knew he was dyeing inside that's what she was aiming for. Maybe now he would understand. "All you care about its your work. You wont be happy till you get yourself shot again. You weren't the only one hurt when Speed got shot. You always say we should talk about our feeling. Yet you don't. You're a fucking hypocrite." Millie spat the last sentence out with such venom Horatio could never have though it would come from a fifteen year old child. "That's all you are a fucking hypocrite. Be a man and stop hiding. Why do you keep putting off going to the work shrink?"

"I…I don't know Millie." Horatio stuttered shocked.

"Because you hide. You feel responsible. You blame your self."

"Yes." it was an almost embarrassed whisper.

"Well newsflash Dad shit happens, we can't explain it and we can't predict it but blaming your self won't bring Speed back. I'm sorry he died dad but it was a long time ago. Stop living in the past and look at what you have right in front of you. You'll lose mom. You'll lose me. I can't bear to see you do this to yourself."

"Millie."

"Do not Millie me! Get your self…" Millie was cut off by the beeping of Horatio's pager.

"Give me the blade and we'll talk later." Millie threw the blade at him, agitated that they had been interrupted just as they were getting some where.

"Where have I heard that before eh?" she commented as he walked out the room. After hearing the car door slam outside she threw herself in a shower, severely pissed off with her fathers work. The water tumbled down her back as she felt the cut in her arm sting. Millie kept the conversation to herself as her mother arrived home from work. Millie watched the clock drag past and it began getting late.

"Where's Dad?" Millie asked her mother flatly.

"Working late I assume." Millie almost snorted. 'bullshit' she though. She knew where he would be.

"Is it okay if I go round to Heathers? We have a physics project to do." After growing up in a house with two CSIs Millie knew fine well how to tell a good lie.

"Okay sweetie but be home by dark I don't want you walking alone in the dark."

"Sure bye!" Millie snatched her black hooded top off the back of the couch and slamming the front door behind her. She slipped it on and pulled he hood over her hair as large rain droplets began to fall from the sky, splashing on the sidewalk and soaking everything. The water slowly seeped though her jumped as she felt her favourite Green Day t-shirt grow wet. The rain covered everything sparing no mercy for the unprepared. The bright Miami light was replaced with a dark black sky as a rumble of thunder shook the air violently. Millie walked the long walk to where she knew her father would be hiding.

She looked up at the grand Cathedral, as the falling rain blurred her vision. The sky reflected her mood. Black and nervous. A strike of lighting blinded her temporally, blinking it away she felt the air shake again. Unsure of that she was going to say she pushed the door open slowly and peered round. The entrance was cold. Pulling the wet top closer to her she looked around her. She couldn't quite understand why he came here. After all Millie didn't believe in God, for everything that was going on in the world she couldn't believe in a caring God that looks after his people. She walked silently along the hallway and paused at the door to the sanctuary as she heard a voice speak. Another flash hit the sky, illuminating everything. She looked at her watch. It was only seven but it was already, rapidly growing dark outside. The expected rumble shook everything outside.

Cause and Effect. The greatest piece of advice he'd ever given her. Everything you do has an effect. Like ripples in a pool. Its up to you what you do, but it doesn't only effect you. 'If only he will take his own advice' she though, sitting down on the stone step she looked up at the window. Jesus on the cross. She looked at it and thought deeply, the colours dull today, but usually they lit the hall up in a dazzle of blues and yellows. Not today. 'maybe today, maybe today he'll listen…' she though. Yet that nagging voice told her not to get her hopes up, telling her he wont listen it wont change, and for the first time in her life she asked God for one thing. One simple thing. That he would listen to her. The atmosphere in the church chilled her, that mixture between hope and sadness that mingled in the air. A revolutionary thought hit Millie. People come here for hope.

"I don't understand where I went wrong. I don't know what to do…she frightened me so much. She was holding a blade to her own wrist. I don't understand why."

Millie placed her head on her knees listing. Guilt ebbed at her but she realised she did not regret her actions.

"I can't think why she would do this. I have always loved her and I know she knows that."

Millie paused she did know he loved her. She also knew he was trying to protect her, but from what she didn't know.

"Does she hate me?"

For a moment she had to think. She didn't hate him. She was angry, bitter even. Bitter that he wouldn't talk to her. Like he didn't trust her.

"I've watched people come and go in this world. The people I love. I can't lose her too. I can't bear to watch her in pain, the pain I know I've caused,"

'So fix it' Millie suddenly though. 'are you a coward?'

"By keeping closed to her I thought I would have stopped her hurting…but that's not true now."

'He listened to me? He actually listened to me.' the tears came back to Millie as she stood up and wondered what to do. 'Do I leave…or do I talk to him?'

"In the end I have caused her more pain."

She had to talk to him. She had to make it alright for him. She had to let him know she didn't hate him. She could never hate him. So she slid in to the Sanctuary and sat beside him.

There sat two Caine's, bent double in a church. The tense atmosphere hung like the black clouds outside.

"I didn't believe in God until today," Millie suddenly felt very at home here. With the raging storm outside showing no sign of letting up, security beckoned here with her father, and a new faith. The silence grew. "I pleaded that you would listen. Listen to what I have been trying to tell you for months. That you would just tell me what's wrong." Millie kept her eyes cast downward. "I thought you would never listen to me. So pushing you…seemed like the only way to do it. I thought it might have changed after the kidnapping…but you didn't I though maybe you might realise…that I just want you to talk to me…and tell me what's on your mind." Millie finally looked up, not to her father but at the cross. "I'm sorry I frightened you. You don't understand what its like."

"Tell me."

"When I cut…its like…a whole weight is lifted off me. I feel numb, like I am unable to show emotion. Then when I cut…it takes it away, and I feel pain again, I'm in control again. Then I realise I am human" To hear such wise words, deep words from a child hit him hard. He turned to his daughter, who's eyes were cast towards the cross. A small ray of light though the window caught her eyes, illuminating the tears that she tried to hold back. "Sometimes I wonder...do you not trust me…do you think less of me…or do you think I'm a disappointment to you." Millie felt her fathers hand on hers and for the first time they looked at each other.

"Let's go someplace else." Millie nodded and followed her father outside, where the warm sun was out again. She looked back at the Cathedral and smiled. People came here for hope, for Millie that was certainly true, she left with a lifted heart and the hope that things would get better.

She didn't know where they we going and nether did he. However they found themselves standing watching the sun set. Millie's still wet jet black hair blew across her face, she could feel the temperature dropping as the sun slowly kicked it's self off the horizon step by step, the sky moved from a bright blue to a kaleidoscope of red, orange and yellow colours, the few clouds that were in the sky were a watercolour wash of lilac as the dieing sun said its good nights to the world. The world had seemed to stop for the two Caines.

Millie could feel the warm air brushing past her face. She brushed her hair behind her ear and turned to Horatio, feeling it was time to break the silence. She watched him for a few minutes, sure as hell he was crying but couldn't shed the tears. That sad look in his eyes as she watched a wave break on the beach. The wave crashed in, then retreated. Millie really had no idea what to say to him, she thought hard.

"I never wanted any of this to happen…but it did…so we just have to deal with it."

"Any of what?"

"Speed…the kidnapping…this whole thing. I don't cut because I want to…its, almost like a impulse." Millie paused and looked at her feet. "I never wanted to hurt you…I didn't mean to frighten you. I just wanted you to notice…no…realise that….I need you. Please don't hide from me. I'm your daughter you should be able to talk to me."

"I…I don't know what to say to you except I am sorry."

"Sorry is just a word. A word people use when they are lost." Millie followed her fathers eye line. Out the horizon where the sun had now gone completely. Leaving only the first star of the night, and the last of the morning. "it's a word that means nothing…"

"I am sorry I hurt you. I truly am. Millie I never meant for any of this to happen either, and I know I may not of dealt with it the right way."

"That is one thing your right about."

"I…Millie.."

"Don't bother….I was right. We never talk, today will be no different." and with that Millie tuned away from him. "Some times its just so much easier to push away the ones we love isn't it? Its easier to pretend and hide."

"Yes."

"You can only hide for so long…" Millie felt her own voice trail off as she looked at her hand, the cut from earlier the day had opened again, coating her palm with the red warm liquid. She watched a drop of her own blood run down her finger, she small droplet paused, hanging on the edge of her finger before falling off and landing on the sidewalk, leaving behind a red stain.

"Millie."

"Yes."

"Let me see your hand." she did so. Holding her hand out in front of him as another drop dripped of her fingers, landing on the sidewalk.

"Millie, your right. I do blame myself for what happened to Speed." Millie smiled. He'd finally opened. "I know it wasn't my fault, but when you see something like that Millie you do blame yourself." Millie nodded as he continued. "I though, I was protecting you. You are still too young in my eyes to know what the real world is like." Her reached out brushing a wisp of hair out of Millie's face and lifting her chin up so there eyes had to meet. "Your still my little girl, you always will be Millie. Its my job to protect you. Sometimes I may go a bit over the top. It's only because I want what's best for you. That's why I didn't speak to you about it because I thought that I was protecting you."

"What from?"

"From the world Millie. This is no world for someone like you to grow up in. You'll learn that not everyone is like us. Not everyone is honest and kind. There are people in this world that will deliberate try to hurt you. That's what I was protecting you from." There was only a simple nod from the youngest Caine. She finally understood.

"I never wanted to hurt you. I would never hurt you Millie. I would never want you to grow up with out a father as I did." Millie bit her lip trying to hid tears. She didn't want to cry anymore. "I lost my parents when I was your age. I would never want you to grow up with out a father. When I lost my mom Millie I had to bring up my brother. I don't want you to lose these teenage years. Enjoy them. I know I push you hard at school. I just don't want you to end up like the people I see at work."

"Dad I will never end up like that."

"Even the best people do stupid things sometimes. There was this one case. A bunch of boys a bit older than you were smoking pot, one of them died. He had a heart attack, so to cover it up they threw him in a pool."

"Now that is plain stupidity."

"Yes but that is not the point Millie. The point is I don't want anything like that to happen to you."

"I know."

"I want you to have better than I did." All Millie could do was nod. The wind beginning to rise again as the streetlights came on. The wind blew Millie's hair across her face again, she pushed it back behind her ear as it began to annoy her. "I know you'll grow up to be a great person."

"Thanks…"

"We'll get though this together, as a family."

"Yeah." For the first time in as long as she could remember she hugged her dad, not just a hug but that warm embrace where she felt safe and suddenly everything seemed right again. Everything was better again.

"I promise you things will be different."

"Dad don't make me a promise you can't keep." Millie said quietly looking up at her father though sad eyes.

"I promise." Millie sighed and let go of all the stress from the last few days. The sky was clouding over again. The air had grown cold and a soaking wet Millie felt the air chill her.

"We go grab something to eat, I'm hungry."

"Yeah. Where do you want to go?"

"Someplace warm. I'm freezing."


	11. Chapter 11

-1Title. Better Angels.  
Author: Samantha.  
With great thanks to: Sammie (not me you twat the other one) Ruth, Cath and the other Ruth (oh my god two Samanthas and two Ruths...jesus)  
Part: Eleven of Eleven  
Pairing: H/C baby!  
Spoilers: 3.01 - Lost Son  
Disclaimer: Unfortunately I do not own CSI:Miami the people who own them do. Trust me when I say this (along with ruth aka quarryquest) we would treat them so much more better than you arsewipes. (DONT SUE!)  
Summary: Sometimes we all need to open up...but will Horatio learn his lesson before he loses his daughter and wife

Chapter Eleven:

The Caine family had somehow managed to get there life's back on track. Happy in the knowledge they wouldn't be hiding from their problems, or hiding things from each other. However like father like daughter there was one thing Millie hadn't told her Dad.

"Millie." Horatio called though the house as he sat his keys down on the counter. "Millie!" he yelled there was no answer. A sheet of paper caught his eye,

_Mom and Dad._

_I need you to come. Hear me out, Dad wont be too happy but I hope you like what you hear._

_Millie xxx_

He picked it up and underneath lay two tickets that read "May Contain Nuts. February 21st 2006. The Sunset Bar. Doors 7:30PM. Band 8:00PM. Over 14s only. ID required. Tickets $5" He paused, he didn't really understand what this was all about put he pocketed the tickets and looked at the clock. An hour till the band went on stage. He left picking his wife up on the way over. Millie had a lot of explaining to do.

The nerves began to get the best of her. She paced the room, feeling her stomach plummet. Was he going to be there? Would they come? Would he be happy, or would he be angry? God she knew he'd be annoyed with her, but she had a good reason for telling him but when he sees her performing will he be proud. The worst case scenario ran though Millie's head. She could image him storming on stage and pulling her off, taking her home and grounding her till she's twenty one. She paused looking at the clock, ten minutes till show time.

Horatio and Calleigh walked hand in hand into the bar. The crowd was nearly two hundred strong already. A mixture of girls and guys dressed in black from head to toe. The "emo's" they called themselves and a bunch of "mosher's" realising not one kind in here was of legal age to drink he stood, eyes watching the stage. The clock ticked slowly as a black haired girl bounced on to the stage.

Millie watched the clock tick slowly. She stood, flipping the mic in her hand. Throwing it up into the air and catching it again. Over and over again. They were giving the nod, and on they went. Millie bounced onto the stage. She smiled and raised the mic up, greeted by the cheers of a full house.

"Good evening Miami how are we all tonight?" The whole room seemed to shake wildly as the crowd went compliantly over the top. "We are May Contain Nuts from right here in Miami. Now as a present to you guys were going to shut up and play this song is called "All These Things I Hate Revolve Around Me." you all know it. I want to hear you mother fuckers singing okay!" The band started up as a hail of guitar erupted Millie raised her mic and began to sing, or more rather scream the lyrics down the mic.

Horatio winced at Millie's choice of words as she greeted the crowd. He watched her jump around the stage, by the end of the three minutes he didn't really get the music. Not his type but judging from the crowds reaction they must be pretty damn good.

"How are we all tonight. Good. Good. Now I need everyone here to do me a favour. I need everyone here in Miami to freak out and give me a one, two, one, two, three, four!" and with that the band were on fire! This heavy rumble of guitar seemed to give the crowd a certain energy as Millie was on knees screaming lyrics at the crowed who threw them back to her just as loud.

"You said, you said, you said, this time was going to be different!" she screamed, her voice horse.

"Wake up the dead!" The hall echoed suddenly the reality hit Horatio. This just wasn't a little gig, a little band playing in a bar. These people knew the words. Knew the songs, they had a fan base and forty five minutes later the gig came to a close far too soon for the crowd who chanted for a encore, the fans chanting drowned out everything so as a parting gift they took to the stage once more.

"Guys. This is a very special song. This is the first time we've played it live. I would like to take this point to thank everyone for coming out to see us tonight. For the loyal who have been at every single one of our shows for the last year. We love you all. Please note we will be playing in here again four weeks from now. Tickets go on sale tomorrow. I suggest you get yours early. So this is good night from us and thank you." the music started again as Millie began to climb up the large speaker at the side of the stage.

"We're not going to be just a part of your game.

We're not going to be the victims.

You taking our dreams and you tear them apart.

Until every one the same."

"What the hell is she doing?" Horatio asked out loud watching her climb and sing, she stood at the top, ignoring the fact that she could come crashing down with a very large thud.

"I've got no place to go.

I've got no place to run.

They'd love to watch me fall.

They think they know it all."

The chorus kicked in, there stood Millie arms out head down, like the cross in the church. She slowly raised the mic to her lips.

"I'm a nightmare a disaster!

That's what they always said!

I'm a lost cause.

Not a hero!

But I'll make it on my own!

I've got to prove them wrong!

It's me against the world!"

The heavy drums and pulsing guitar gave way to a riff that sent the whole room in chaos. People throwing themselves up in to the crowd as the surfed the hands that were held high. It was almost surreal. Horatio couldn't explain it.

"We wont let them change how we feel in our hearts.

We not going let them control us.

We wont let them shove all these thoughts in our heads.

And well never be like them!"

Listing to the lyrics he could only smile and beam with pride. The pure emotion in the lyrics and the energy the band have could take them far. That frightened him. This wasn't the life he had tried to make for her. His daughter was not going to be a rock star!

"Me against the world! Now I'm sick of this waiting so come on and take your shot!" Millie screamed down the mic as she jumped off the high speakers, landing on her knees centre stage to a rapture of cheers. "You can spit all your insults but nothing you say is going to change us!

You can sit there an judge me.

Say what you want to.

But we will never let you win!"

A sudden thought hit him. He knew what she was talking about. He knew exactly what she was doing, the song was aimed at him. Her heart had always been in music. The music came to a stunning climax the lights cut out. Horatio was sure the screaming was deifying all noise pollution laws. The house lights came up and people slowly drifted away, as the last of the hardcore fans left after Millie came out and thanked them for coming. She turned her attention to the two who were stood by the bar.

"You came?"

"Oh Millie I wouldn't have missed it for the world you were amazing!" cried Calleigh as she forcefully pulled her into a hug.

"He he thanks mom!"

Millie took a step back and looked at her father.

"So…"

"You were…great."

"I asked you here because I need a favour." Millie said to him calmly. She dipped her hand in her jeans pocket, "I need you to sign this." Millie told them both as she handed over several sheets of paper stapled at the top.

"What is it?" Horatio asked her with a raised eyebrow.

"It's a record contract."

"Millie I am not signing it."

"Why not?" Millie demanded, outraged.

"Because its no life for you Millie playing in strange city's in bars! You've only just turned sixteen! It's out of the question." Millie stood there in shock.

"it's a one million dollar record contract! Its not going to be little bars Dad! Arena tours, an album the whole shebang!"

"Millie I do not care. I am not signing this! It would mean you dropping out of school."

"Your point?" Millie stated.

"No." Millie simply blinked She was so close but yet so far..

"You have no idea how big this is!"

"Well how big is it then?" Horatio asked her with far more venom than he had intended.

"A four album, one million dollar contract for the band."

" Millie.."

"Please, don't make me give up my dream."

Horatio sighed and flicked though the contract.

"I need to think about this Millie. We'll talk about it when we get home."

"No were going to talk about it now. You either A: sing this contract, give me your best wishes and support me. Or B: You don't sign it, then don't talk me ever again. My Dad would support me in what I want to do."

"Have you got a pen then?" Millie froze.

"Are you serious?" She asked as Calleigh handed him a pen.

"Is this what you want. Do you really want this?"

"Yes." Horatio sat the paper on the bar. Flicked it open and signed him name.

"Well, I suppose I could cope with it." He told her smiling. Millie tackle hugged her father.

"Hey easy kid." Millie smiled and yelled on her band mates.

"Guys he signed it!" The group stood together jumping up and down. "Were going to L.A guys! We've done it were actually going!" The release was immense for the band. The sudden realisation hit home for everyone as Millie hugged both her parents as she cried. "Were going guys! Were going to L.A!" After talking it over with the bands new manger Horatio found himself at ease as they talked round a table, Millie being the only one in the band under eighteen, touring with a band, of which two were boys the unease of the situation lessened. A round of drinks was ordered as the band settled for a coke each and they explained their plans to Calleigh and Horatio.

"So hopefully we'll start recording in L.A in April, Start a tour in June, the first single should be out by August then the album in October."

"Your going to L.A?" Horatio asked, both frightened and pleased.

"Yeah."

"Be careful." Millie nodded.

"Don't worry. I will be."

The last few weeks at home passed swiftly as she stood in the airport, she watched the departure board with intense concentration.

"You know I'll miss you right." she said turning to her father.

"I'll miss you too. Now call me when you get in to L.A."

"I will. I will. Don't worry I'm going to be fine. I'll be back before you know it!" Millie told him smiling. Millie hugged her father, who kiss her gently on the head. "You know, call me. Just every now and then to let me know your okay."

"I will. I love you. Thank you." and after a tearful good bye Millie bored the plane and took her seat beside the window. She knew. This was only the beginning, and it want going to get easier.

The End.


End file.
